H.E. Prof. Koutoub Moustapha Sano, Secretary General of the Academy, participated in the International Conference on “Building Bridges between Islamic Schools of Thought” organized by the Muslim World League under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. His Excellency delivered a speech at the closing session of the conference, which was held on Saturday, 09 Ramadan 1446, corresponding to 09 March 2025, in Makkah Al Mukarramah.

At the beginning of his speech, His Excellency expressed his thanks, appreciation, and gratitude to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the King, the Crown Prince, the Government, and the people for this invitation and sponsorship of this conference at this historical stage that our Ummah is passing through. He also expressed his gratitude to the Secretary General of the Muslim World League, Sheikh Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, for his blessed efforts that have resulted in issuing an important historical document at this historical juncture.

His Excellency then talked about the importance of Islamic unity and the need to address the intellectual concerns that have faced the Ummah for decades through unified efforts and cooperation among the followers of the recognized Islamic schools of thought, “Our Ummah has been living for some time in discord, dispute, and dispersion, and it is high time that we return to alliance, harmony, solidarity and cooperation. It is a coalition because there was disagreement, and while disagreement in terms of origin is a universal good and eternal will, the disagreement that prevailed among the followers of the madhhabs (schools and denominations) for decades was a destructive difference that affected our relations with each other, Indeed, Allah the Almighty has bestowed a blessing on us by making coalition, alliance, and harmony one of His blessings. Allah said in the Quran: “And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided. And remember the favor of Allah upon you – when you were enemies and He brought your hearts together and you became, by His favor, brothers.” Aal-Imran, 3:103. Hence, it is such a blessing of this alliance, a blessing from which we would not turn away today, nor would we leave it, nor would we deny it.

In light of the challenges and crises facing our Ummah, and the urgent need for alliance and cooperation, His Excellency emphasized that unity is not only an option, but a religious obligation and a modern necessity, ” Coalition is a religious obligation, which no scholar doubts because of the many texts that mention it, but it is a modern necessity to face the challenges, crises, constraints, and trials that are no longer under the ability of an individual or a state but need coalition, alliance, coordination and cooperation. Since our future is the same, and the challenges we face are the same, and the constraints, and trials will hit us hard if we do not unite, do not ally, and do not familiarize ourselves, as the Prophet PBUH said, “The believer is a person who harmonizes and familiarizes with other brothers, and there is no goodness in those who neither harmonize nor familiarize, and the best of people are those who are useful to other people.”

Furthermore, His Excellency commended Islamic scholars as role models and mentors in promoting a culture of coalition, alliance, and harmony. He said: “As scholars of the Ummah, we must renew our covenant and pledge before the Sacred House of Allah that we will act in thought, conduct, and practice according to the words of the Prophet: Whoever prays our prayer, orientates towards our Qibla, and eats our slaughter, that Muslim has the protection of Allah and his Messenger, so do not fail Allah in his protection of Allah and His messenger, which proves the sanctity of the blood of a Muslim, his property, and honor. Therefore, it is incumbent upon us to honor our Imams, the Imams of guidance of the companions, followers, and their followers who established these schools of thought seeking Allah’s pleasure and reward. Let us return to our mosques and seminaries after rejecting any opinion or thought that calls for division, conflict, and disagreement and calls for insulting our Imams of Guidance who have bequeathed us this intellectual wealth.”

Regarding the challenges facing the youth today, His Excellency called for protecting the youth as the most important segment of society from the imminent spiritual dangers represented by the waves of atheism that not only threaten Islam but also threaten this most important segment of society, the youth segment, and these young people who are the hopes of a bright future, are exposed to the danger of atheism, extremism, and fanaticism. We must protect them, protect them, protect the society, protect the nation, and protect all humanity”. His Excellency also called for transforming the contents of the “Building Bridges” Document into practical programs to be applied in our mosques, universities, curricula, and seminaries by adhering to what it stipulates and implementing all its provisions in thought, behavior, attitude, and practice.

In conclusion, His Excellency emphasized the need to work together away from all ideas that call for division and disagreement to achieve true Islamic unity. He also thanked the Muslim World League, all scholars and participants for their efforts to make this conference a success and asked Allah to renew this meeting again so that the Ummah may one day see this endeavour become a living reality and that disagreement be eliminated and replaced by coalition.